PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE 544CONTRACTING METHODS – ALTERNATIVE PROJECT DELIVER METHODS

April 9, 2021 | Michael J. Hanahan | PartnerPerkins Coie LLP312.324.8633MHanahan@perkinscoie.com

THE AIA DOCUMENTS

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A Series Owner & Contractor Documents (including bond forms)

• A201

Project General Conditions – Integrates with most forms

B Series Owner & Architect Documents

• B101

Owner‐Architect Agreement – Most common design agreement

C Series Other Agreements (construction manager, consultants, subcontractors)

G Series Standard Forms ‐ Payment Documentation, Change Orders, RFIs

AIA Documents

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AIA A101 Standard Form of Agreement Based on a Stipulated Sum (Lump Sum)

AIA A102 Standard Form of Agreement Based on the Cost of the Work Plus a Fee with a Guaranteed 

Maximum Price (GMP)

AIA A103 Standard Form of Agreement Based on the Cost of the Work Plus a Fee without a 

Guaranteed Maximum Price

AIA A104 Standard Abbreviated Form of Agreement Between Owner and Contractor – Can be any of 

the three payment methods

AIA A141, 141/2 ‐ 2014 Standard Form of Agreement Between Owner and Design‐Builder

The A-Series Owner-Contractor Contracts Related To Project Payment Method

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B103

B105

B101

B104

LARGE PROJECTS

SMALL PROJECTS

2017 B-Series Owner-Architect Agreements – Related to Project Size

PRICING VARIATIONS IN CONSTRUCTION CONTRACTS

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Fixed Price contracts (lump sum)  Contractor bears risk of cost overruns  Contractor has possibility of windfall profits  Can more readily lead to adversarial relationships between owner and contractor

Cost‐plus contracts (time & materials – cost of the work) Fee can be a percentage, fixed sum, or any agreed‐on formula Can be difficult for owner to control costs – unless there is a GMP May have a Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP)  May have a savings sharing clause with a GMP or target price Change orders only change GMP or target price

Pricing Variations in Construction Contracts

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Unit Prices Owner pays a specified cost for a particular quantity of work Best for repetitive types of work (concrete, roadways, etc.)

Pricing Variations in Construction Contracts

COMPETITIVE BIDDING

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Competitive Bidding – Required for Public Projects; Used for Private Projects Lowest Responsible and Responsive Bidder Best Value Method – Design Build (not allowed in all states for public projects) Exception – sole source contracts (very rare in public projects)

Purpose: To achieve the lowest cost, and an impartial forum for contractor selection

“Short‐Listing” of bidders – before and after the RFP process Pre‐qualification process  After proposals are received

Competitive Bidding – Traditional and Fast-Tracked Methods

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The typical process Invitation to bidders Submittal of bids/proposals Opening of bids/proposals Evaluation of bids/proposals Notification of award of project Signing a formal contract

Competitive Bidding – Traditional and Fast-Tracked Methods

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Bidding errors – How are they addressed?  Bids with clerical/arithmetic errors may be withdrawn (but not modified) Bids with judgment errors cannot be withdrawn Exception – The “snap‐up” rule (where the owner should have known of the bidding 

mistake by comparison to other bids – gross disparity)

Competitive Bidding – Traditional and Fast-Tracked Methods

DIFFERENT TYPES OF CONTRACTING METHODS

I. TRADITIONAL CONTRACTING MODEL

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Traditional Owner-Architect Contractor

Owner

Architect

Consultant Consultant

Contractor

Vendor Subcontractor Subcontractor

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Advantages It is common, so the marketplace is comfortable with it Plans are usually complete prior to bidding or final pricing Architect remains independent

Disadvantages Often little input from contractor during design Slower delivery time due to back‐to‐back phasing Can create an adversarial relationship between G.C. and A/E  Price competition reduces profits or renders some projects unobtainable Claims Contractors Truth in Bidding

Traditional Owner-Architect Contractor

II. DEVELOPER AS PRIME MODEL

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Owner – Developer Model

Owner

Developer

Architect

Consultant Consultant

Contractor

Vendor Subcontractor Subcontractor

III. FAST-TRACKING MODEL

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Traditional v. Fast Tracking

Construction

Bid/Pricing

Design

Construction

Bid/Pricing

Design

Bid/Pricing

Traditional Method

Fast-Track Method

• Traditional – linear• Fast‐Track – overlapping• Fast‐Track Advantage – Delivery speed of a completed project.• Fast‐Track Disadvantage – More difficult to control cost estimating and 

construction costs.

IV. MULTIPLE-PRIME CONTRACTING MODEL

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Owner – Multi-Prime Model

Owner

Prime Contractor

Prime Contractor

Prime Contractor Vendor Vendor Consultant

• No role for the general contractor• Owner has all contracts directly• May be legal reasons for this contracting method

• Owners rarely are able to successfully manage and coordinate project• Owner liable for management and coordination problems during 

construction• Time and cost management

V. CONSTRUCTION MANAGER CONTRACTING MODELS

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Construction Management – Agency CM Model

Owner

Trade Contractor

Trade Contractor

Trade Contractor Vendor Vendor

Construction Manager as

Agent

• Retained to manage the construction• Does not enter into the agreements with the trade 

contractors• On‐site observer – similar to architect’s role

• Time and cost management

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Construction Management – At Risk CM Model

Owner

Architect

Consultant Consultant

Construction Manager at

Risk

Vendor Prime Contractor

Subcontractor

Prime Contractor

Subcontractor

• CM works with Owner for pricing and securing the subcontractors.

• After CM Agreement is executed, CM essentially become general contractor.

• CM at Risk is liable for management and coordination problems during construction.

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Construction Management – Risk Spectrum

HighestUltimately its role is similar to a general 

contractor

At‐Risk CM

Moderate Coordination and management for a 

fee

Agency CMMinimal

Another layer of consulting

Advisory CM

• Biggest benefit of using CM is CM’s role during the design process.

VI. DESIGN-BUILD CONTRACTING MODELS

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Traditional Design-Build Model

Owner

Design-Builder

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Integrated Company Contractor is the Prime, A/E is the Sub A/E Prime is the Prime, Contractor is the Sub A/E is the Prime, Multiple Trade Subs retained Design‐Builder Prime, A/E and Contractor Each Subs (Multiple Integrated Company)

Joint Venture between A/E and Contractor (joint and several liability)

Design-Build Relationships – Various Types

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Multiple Integrated Company Model

Owner

Design-Builder

Design Affiliate

Construction Affiliate

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Multiple Integrated Company Model

Owner

JV Design Affiliate

JV Construction

Affiliate

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Speed of project delivery Owner can look to design‐builder for single‐point responsibility Obtain cost certainty earlier and with better results Better communication of design intent from the design arm to constructing arm

Less litigation and/or disputes Greater control of information by design‐build team Negotiated pricing A/E and GC not adverse to one another

Advantages of Design-Build

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Loss of architect as independent decision maker or “policing body” on the project

Pricing may be suspect depending on when the fast‐tracking took place May be more of an economic risk depending on the design‐builder entity Who is back‐checking for the owner?

Disadvantages of Design-Build

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System‐by‐system design with “looping” feedbackEach system is designed semi‐independentlyDesign of each system constantly modified by feedback from the construction team

Informal communications rather than “defensive detailing”Greater incentive to explore alternative design conceptsMEP/FP only schematic, and is ultimately designed and built by specialty subcontractors

Design-Build: Differences in Architect’s Design Phase Services

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Greater than usual pricing constraints and price inputOut‐of‐sequence provision of design details to meet contractor’s need to price the project

Heavier than usual reliance on performance specifications

Design-Build: Differences in Architect’s Design Phase Services

QUESTIONS